Chapter 023
Normality (正常, Seijō) is the 23rd chapter of the Gantz manga, written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. Cover Page Kei Kurono is wearing his Gantz suit while facing forward. He has an X-gun holstered at his side. Synopsis Kishimoto is sleeping outside on the railing of a bridge when a hand reaches out to her. She opens her eyes to find a rather unattractive man grinning perversely. She shrieks and runs away, but the man doesn't give chase and merely tells her that she'll die if she sleeps in a place like that. She runs and slows down after a while, looking depressed. At home, Kurono watches as the news makes a report on him and Kato saving the homeless man who had fallen onto the train tracks. The reporter also adds that the students vanished without a trace afterwards. Some witnesses who are interviewed explain how they lost sight of the boys and how they never saw them get run over. Another interviewee mentions that he didn't see any high school students at all and that it may just have been a mass hypnosis experiment. As Kurono eats breakfast, the reporter questions whether or not the two missing high school students even exist at all. Recalling the events in the subway, Kurono remembers how he bumped into Kato and helped the bum, only for them both to get hit by the train. Even though he had initially thought he was dead, he's glad to know that he's alive and has made it back home. Later that day Kurono's school, he is there with his narrative saying that he's gone to school like any other day and how life is finally back to normal. In class, he is seen talking with his friends, Nakazawa and Matsumura, the former of the two showing off a magazine poster of Momo Ayukawa. It is the same magazine Kurono was reading before his run in with Kato. Nakazawa is pointing out how lovely Ayukawa's body is and about how wrong it is for girls like her to exist outside of their school. Kurono teases his friend, saying that he "can't take his eyes of the big tits", though Nakazawa points out that he's one to talk. As Matsumura talks about how a certain new anime is going to be a big hit after the initial airing the other night, Kurono remembers his ordeal that occurred back then. There was so much terror that had only happened in a short time. He chooses not to tell his friends about the incident, since they would think he would be crazy. Drifting to more "pleasant" thoughts, Kurono smirks while remembering Kishimoto being naked, thinking that she was as hot as Ayukawa and how that was the first time he had ever seen a naked girl in real life. During class, Kurono notes how relieved he is to be back, and while he still doesn't understand everything that happened last night, he would rather not think about it at the moment. He is seen lying at his desk with his eyes closed. Later, Kurono and Matsumura are seen on a catwalk outside. Matsumura tells Kurono that he's in trouble since a junior called Yonekura has been bullying him for money. As he laments that he can't buy anime magazines without more money, Kurono doesn't care at all about his problems. His narrative states that he doesn't consider Matsumura a friend and how he doesn't care what happens to him. What he is concerned about is his real friend, Kato. Just then, Yonekura comes outside and introduces himself as "Yonekura-san". He asks Matsumura how he's doing, which makes him nervous. He assumes that Yonekura came for his five thousand yen, but the junior demands that he get ten thousand. Taken aback, the "nerd" tells him that he doesn't have the money. Looking at Kurono, Yonekura tells Matsumura to get the money from Kurono, much to the latter's shock. After which, Yonekura stares at the other student for a bit before giving Matsumura a deal: if he tags Kurono, then he'll be hit up for the rest of the money. Glancing at Kurono, Matsumura apologizes as he "tags" Kurono, after which Yonekura tells him that he's free to go. He runs to class just as the next bell starts ringing. Now alone, Kurono tells the junior that classes have started, but his only response is a "So what?" When Kurono asks Yonekura why he's picking on him now, he answers that there's no big reason, just that the look in his eyes pisses him off. Just then, a teacher comes out and shouts at the boys to get to their next classes. Yonekura tells his victim that he'll see him after school and that he had better bring 50 thousand for him. Upon getting to class, Kurono sees Matsumura, who asks his "friend" if he paid Yonekura any money. A disgusted Kurono finds it unbelievable that his "friend" thinks so little of him that he'd pay a yankee for nothing. Matsumura insists that Kurono give Yonekura his money, since he has connections to yakuza and motorcycle gangs. Kurono, not taking the threat seriously, resolves to just ignore Yonekura's bullying and go straight home when school lets out. Another student soon walks up to Kurono, saying that a junior is taking him to meet some seniors after school, and that he's personally escorting him to them. Looking out in the hallway, he sees Yonekura smirking while making sign language for cutting someone's head off. While sitting at his desk, Kurono wonders how his luck can be so terrible and that he's never been this bad off before. Later, Kurono is in a bathroom stall changing into his Gantz suit, wearing it underneath his normal clothes. When someone asks if he's taking a dump, Kurono lies and goes along with it saying that his stomach is killing him. As the final bell rings, Kurono is seen being escorted by Yonekura on one side of the school in the courtyard. Yonekura insults him by saying that even if he acts tough, he knows that deep down he's just a wimp. Saying once again that Kurono pisses him off, the junior vows to teach him "the true meaning of hell". The two walk up to a smaller building where four students can be seen smoking. The one on the staircase, has a rather cruel look in his eyes. Characters in Order of Appearance * Kei Kishimoto * Homeless Lecher * News Reporter * Pointing woman * Kei Kurono * Hypnotism man * Masaru Kato (flashback) * Takao Tadō (flashback) * Kyohiko Matsumura * Momo Ayukawa (picture) * Eisuke Nakazawa * Goro Suzuki (flashback) * Takashi Inamori (flashback) * Joichiro Nishi (flashback) * Masashi Yamada (flashback) * Adult Onion Alien (flashback) * Masatomo Yonekura * Teacher * Classmate * Tachibana's Gang * Hat Wearing Gang Member * Beanie Wearing Gang Member * Koji Tachibana * Long Haired Gang Member Trivia *In Japanese three year education, first years are called Freshman, second years are called Juniors and third years are called Seniors. *Bosozoku are Japanese motorcycle gangs. *"Normality" is the first chapter of the third volume. Arc Navigation Category:Manga chapters